Books, Cook Books, & Movies

Abraham Lincoln’s World By Genevieve Foster This isn’t a history book (although it could be used as one) nor is it a biography; it’s just a delightful book full of stories about people that made history during Lincoln’s lifetime. There are numerous illustrations throughout the book.

Little Women By Louisa May Alcott This is one of the most delightful books about life on the home front during the Civil War.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin By Harriet Beecher Stowe It is said that when President Abraham Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe he remarked, "So this is the little lady who wrote the book that started this great war." He was referring to her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin the most significant anti-slavery book written. Yet she took great pains to create slave-holding characters that the reader could identify with. Despite the heavy subject matter, two-thirds of this book are pleasant. It isn’t until Tom is sold to Simon Legree that the book takes a dark turn.

Up from Slavery By Booker T. Washington, William L. Andrews Get an inside look at slavery. Booker T. Washington was born a slave and he became a leader of African Americans after the Civil War.

With Lee in Virginia, audiobook on CD By G. A. Henty It may seem strange for a Henty book to appear in a girl’s book list, but this particular Henty has a very spunky heroine in it and I just had to recommend it. Henty’s books have so much history in them.

Confederate Ladies Of Richmond by Susan Provost Beller Richmond, Virginia was the capital city of the Confederate States. This book gives a thorough view into the lives of women who lived during the years of the War Between the States. Interspersed between the pages are many photographs and quotes.

Young Heroes of the North and South (Cobblestone the Civil War) Most of us know about the famous people of the Civil War. Well-known people like Robert Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, etc. but there were also thousands of heroes who struggled through each day of the terrible war. This book examines the lives of children who lived through America’s Civil War. Colorful pages full of photographs and other memorabilia make this book very attractive.

The Tamarack Tree I debated about whether or not to recommend this book but decided it was worthy of passing along. A young English lady joins her brother in Vicksburg, Mississippi after the death of her mother. Soon Rosemary and her brother Derek are trapped in a city besieged by the Union army. In this book the author paints an accurate picture of the struggle between the North and South. The only drawback is the emphasis on romance but it is not so overpowering that it detracts from the story of the war.

Lady of Arlington : A Novel Based on the Life of Mrs. Robert E. Lee by Harnett T. Kane The wife of Robert E. Lee was an incredible woman who suffered much of her life with pain and illness. This book starts with her life as a young woman and continues until her death. The entertaining writing style of Harnett T. Kane makes the legacy of Mary Lee come to life.

Songs And Stories Of Civil War by Jerry Silverman Experiencing history through the songs they sang is very enjoyable. In this book are many well known Civil War songs, such as When Johnny Comes Marching Home, and Dixie’s Land but it also includes many unfamiliar songs like Lincoln and Liberty and The Battle of Shiloh. There is a description of each song’s history and piano sheet music. What a great way to have a music and history lesson together.

The Louisa May Alcott Cookbook by Gretchen Anderson Have you ever read a book and wondered how they made the foods it mentioned? This book satisfied my curiosity. Scrumptious recipes, excerpts from two of Louisa May Alcott’s novels (Little Women and Little Men), precious black and white illustrations, and much more await you in this book.

The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)Fess Parker and Jeffrey Hunter The star of the Davy Crockett movies plays a Union spy who leads a group of Raiders intent on destroying a railroad bridge. A good adventure story!

Friendly Persuasion (1956)Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire What happens when a Quaker family is thrown into the Civil War? The peace loving family must make some difficult decisions about fighting for right. Several humorous scenes make this a pleasant movie despite the heavy subject matter.

Little Women (1949)June Allyson, Peter Lawford, and Elizabeth Taylor. There are several different adaptations of Little Women but for some reason this one seems the sweetest. June Allyson does a remarkable job of portraying the spunky Jo. A full star cast fills up the other roles: Janet Leigh plays Meg, Margaret O’Brien is Beth, and Elizabeth Taylor is Amy. This movie follows the book in most points; the major departure from the original is that Beth is portrayed as the youngest March girl.

(Parents may want to preview these movies before allowing children to watch.)

Gods & Generals (2003) Jeff Daniels, Stephen Lang, and Robert Duvall This movie is an inspiring retelling of the life of Stonewall Jackson and his wife Anna. Their faith and Christianity are clearly portrayed. Several scriptures are recited throughout the movie.

Shenandoah, DVD The Anderson family lived in the Shenandoah Valley and they had no intention of taking part in the Civil War. When the Union army captures the youngest son they are drawn into the conflict.

Books by Amy Puetz

Costumes with Character Make Your Own Costumes from Eleven Time Periods with One Dress!By Amy PuetzForeword by Jennie Chancey72 full color pages

It is Easy to Make Historical Costumes with Only One Dress!

Are you ready to make history come alive? This easy sewing book has patterns and step-by-step instructions for making accessories for eleven different time periods. Brave the wilderness in an authentic looking pioneer bonnet, attend a tea party in a Victorian collar, and help America win the Revolution dressed in a vest. These are just a few of the time periods covered in this innovative book.

Costumes with Character highlights eleven different eras in American history.

Do you love to look at vintage photographs? Are you planning a Civil War reenactment? Would you like to create an authentic hoop skirt dress but don’t have any ideas? If you answered yes to any of those questions then Hoop Skirts and Fabulous Frocks is for you. This book has forty authentic photographs of women and girls from the Civil War era. Each photograph is accompanied by a brief description and-when known-who she was. Some of the photos are of famous ladies-including several First Ladies-and others are of unidentified women. There is a short overview of hoop skirts and their popularity. At the end of the book are two pages of suggestions on how to use the book.